1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a conduit clamp and more specifically to a clamp adapted to be secured to a flanged cable tray and adapted to secure a conduit to the clamp at any desired angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the cable tray.
2. Prior Art
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,840,216 (1932), to Tormo, discloses a conduit support having two parallel plates which may be secured to a beam flange which is disposed between the two plates by means of set screws extending through one of said plates. A strap type conduit clamp means which completely encircles the conduit is secured to the support by fastening means which extends through the ends of the strap which extend outwardly from the periphery of the conduit.
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,877,781 (1932), to Akerlund, discloses a conduit hanger which is adapted to be secured to a beam flange and is comprised of three separate clamping jaws having aligned apertures through which a common bolt extends. The two outer most clamping jaws are freely rotatable on the bolt and the intermediate jaw is disposed in threaded engagement with the bolt. The intermediate jaw is so designed that it cooperates with both of the outer jaws to produce two clamps, one of which serves to secure the hanger to the flange of an I-beam, for example, whereas the other engages and holds a conduit or the like.
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,888,342 (1932), to Anderson, is directed to a conduit hanger having a C-shaped body with a bolt threaded on an arm for clamping the body to the flange of an I-beam or the like. The other leg of the C-clamp has a post extending outwardly therefrom upon which the clamping member is freely movable whereby one or more conduits may be secured between the clamp member and the C-shaped body upon tightening a nut threaded on the end of the post.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,639 (1966), to Korns, is directed to a pipe clamp having two clamping plates with aligned apertured bosses through which a bolt extends with a clamping nut threaded on the opposite end thereof. One of the plates is provided with angular notches for gripping the flange of an I-beam or the like and the other plate is provided with a V-shaped notch for holding a pipe or the like to the opposite surface of the flange when the nut and bolt draws the flanges together.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,676 (1971), to Weber, is directed to a grounding and clamping device comprised of a combination conduit receiving and locking member and a flange clamp to rigidly secure and ground a metallic electrical conduit to a supporting metallic structure. A pair of adjustably coupled recessed members provide a conduit receiving cavity therebetween within which the conduit may be secured. The recessed members may be tightened about the conduit placed within the cavity by threadably engaging nuts on extensions protruding from one recessed member and extending through apertures in the other. Coupled to and extending from one of the recessed members is a flange clamp adapted to rigidly secure the recessed members to a support member. At each end of the flanges - adapted recessed member is a locking means threadably coupled thereto and extending into the clamp aperture to provide biting engagement between the recessed members and the support member.
In addition to the foregoing references, the following patents were cited during the prosecution of applicant's copending application Ser. No. 840,432 filed Oct. 7, 1977, entitled "Cable Tray Conduit Clamps":
______________________________________ 768,819 - Palmer 2,376,041 - Ellerthorpe 988,927 - Great Britain 2,726,836 - Dickson 1,039,646 - Great Britain 2,875,969 - Thompson 1,199,326 - Weil 2,901,199 - Thompson 1,737,214 - Brown 3,572,623 - Lapp 2,282,310 - Dunn ______________________________________
The cable tray conduit clamp which is the subject of the above-identified copending application is suitable primarily for use with a U-shaped cable tray having outwardly directed flanges on the side walls.